5k, what to buy? Must look good!!!!

BHW

OK, i know very little about cars and i was hoping to get some help and ideas, please. Whats looks good:D, whats reliable.... etc etc.

I have about 5000 to spend.
Im 23yo male.
I dont want to go past year 2000, (prefer 01,02)
I would prefer 5 door

I was looking at this http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/1.6-TS/927035/

but its 1.6 and hard for me to get insured on, so 1.4 or below if possible.

Any help and ideas much appreciated.

Thanks

biko

See what you think of
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Toyota/Corolla/1.4-5DR/919075/
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mazda/323/1.3-COMFORT5DR/910291/
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Ibiza/5DR1.4-STELLA/922373/

astraboy

Alfa 156 saloon. Great looking car, just check it out well before buying. May not be the most reliable though!

Dabko

hi

Was in the same position my self few months back. Decided to go with a 2001 (newer model) ford mondeo 2.0ltr tdci. It had 95,000 miles on clock

Great heavy car, plenty of room and brilliant fuel economy (50 mpg).

Might be worth a look.

Ps. Stay away from Alfas, great looking car but will give you hell if anything breaks in em!

cjt156

BHW wrote: »

1.4 or below

Thanks

Dabko wrote: »

hi
ford mondeo 2.0ltr tdci.

:rolleyes:

Dabko

cjt156 wrote: »

:rolleyes:

only a suggestion. Better for economy all round.

and 1.4ltrs are for girls!!!!!!!

BHW

thanks for the help so far,

the problem with the 1.6 or bigger is i cant get a quote, they saying i have to be over 25 blah blah blah,

what about somrthing like this?

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Opel/Astra/1.4-XE/929584/

Lex Luthor

Dabko wrote: »

Ps. Stay away from Alfas, great looking car but will give you hell if anything breaks in em!

care to elaborate???

Dabko

Lex Luthor wrote: »

care to elaborate???

Ive bought a lot of cars and vans for both business and pleasure. I use one guy who tells me where to stay clear and where to buy. I listen to no-one else. Ive never been stung or had a problem. He told me stay clear of Alfa's at all cost.

I dont need to hear any more!!

Sorry for been vague.

matt cork

the 156 would be a very good choice. looks great, even for a design that is over 10 yrs now, pactical, cheapish to insure, and don't listen to all those horror stories about "all alfas" spending their lives on the back of a flatbed or in a garage. sure there will be the odd problem with them but you are buying a 7 yr old car.

there are also plenty of alfa specialists, independent garages, out there who can help make savings on the service side of things.

the constant drivel about alfas giving hell when they break down is a croke of ****:rolleyes:. if you see one get it checked out, make sure its a full service history and a belt change between 36k and 60k with tensioners and the like and you won't be disappointed.

(thats after ownership of 3 alfa's and no more problematic than the subaru / bmw etc...)

Explosive_Cornflake

I'm in the exact same position as the OP, same age, same budget. The Stella looks promising.
Keep 'em coming.

matt cork

skoda octavia 1.4
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Skoda/Octavia/1.4-PRICE/873257/

rover 45

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Rover/45/1.4-CONNOISSEUR/924377/

will very cheap on insurance if that is a significant factor

Countryripple

156 is a great car. have mine a year now, its a 02 and no issues yet.

If i were you though i would check with insurance on them first. i got mine halfway through a policy and just paid a few extra quid to my broker to change cars. however, when renewal time came i had alot of trouble getting quotes on it. alot of companies either wouldnt quote me or gave me insane quotes cos there is a 'special loading' on a T-Spark. im a girl, 25, full licence and 3 years NCB. Some places quoted me E2600!!!!

so great a car as it is, they could screw you on insurance. take one on a test drive anyway though.........you will fall in love!!

miju

Dabko wrote: »

He told me stay clear of Alfa's at all cost.

so in otherwords you've zero first hand experience of an Alfa but feel qaulified to give your opinion on it's reliability none the less
:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

to the OP an Alfa 156 would be a good choice. I'm on my 2nd Alfa now after 3 years of my previous (a 00 146) and in all that time the original fan belt snapping after 70,000 miles was the only prob with it.

like any car get it checked out thouroghly so you dont get a lemon and as said above make sure timing belt has been done at approx 35k intervals and has a complete service history as possible and you won't go wrong.

the depreciation on Alfas can be a bitch though due to peoples opinions of them like Dadko above. (but on the other hand means you can usually pick up a great looking , great performing/handling car and an 02 for about 5k )

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/1.6-T/941436/ looks like a very nice buy at first glance with NCT, full service history and timing belt done IMO (though would still need to be checked)

E92

Alfas consistantly do badly in reliability surveys. You don't need to be "qualified" in anything to read what surveys tell you.

Unless of course you think that all the reliability surveys are out to get Alfa of course:rolleyes:.

To answer the OP, a Focus 1.4 looks well enough, is very reliable(though the very early versions weren't great apparently, but it has come top in the German TUV reliability survey more than once), and there are plenty of 00 Focuses for less than 5k available on carzone(and I'm sure the OP could haggle a bit off the prices too).

An Astra is a good choice too. Unfortunately for the OP it's very hard to find something seriously good looking and a 1.4 for less than 5k I'm afraid.

JHMEG

E92 wrote: »

To answer the OP, a Focus 1.4

A qualified +1.

Haven't driven the 1.6 but the 1.4 Focus has zero poke, none, zip, nada. I found overtaking to be perilous.

mvpr

You sure you cant get insured on a 1.6? I'm 24. 1st policy for me, quinndirect were quoting the same for a 1.4 and 1.6 Focus.

If you could get insured, 1.6 Focus hatch all the way!:D
You should be able to pick up a 2000 one with average mileage, maybe even 2001 for that kind of money.

E92

JHMEG wrote: »

A qualified +1.

Haven't driven the 1.6 but the 1.4 Focus has zero poke, none, zip, nada. I found overtaking to be perilous.

I don't know what the 1.4 is like either, but a 0-100 time of over 14 seconds means that it probably is as slow as you say it is.

The OP wants a 1.4 though(insurance problems with a 1.6), otherwise I would of course have said 1.6 minimum;).

miju

E92 wrote: »

Alfas consistantly do badly in reliability surveys. You don't need to be "qualified" in anything to read what surveys tell you.

mmmmmm i noticed that apparently in the UKs biggest reliability survery, Alfa come out on top of Fords (even ford focus is beaten by 156 by 2 points)

have a look see http://www.topgear.com/content/carsurvey/2006/features/08/2.html

lightening

Try the Suzuki Cappuccino.

I drove one. What great great fun. Everywhere you go is like driving in a car race without breaking any laws.

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Suzuki/Cappuccino/convertiable/508922/

Dabko

miju wrote: »

so in otherwords you've zero first hand experience of an Alfa but feel qaulified to give your opinion on it's reliability none the less
:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Deeply, from the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry for posting my experience (be it through business colleagues) about the beloved Italian stallion that is the Alfa Romeo, on a public forum.

For this 'insanity' I shall go buy a rover, write to the factory looking for a new door and await a reply.;)

mthd

BHW wrote: »

I was looking at this http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/1.6-TS/927035/

but its 1.6 and hard for me to get insured on, so 1.4 or below if possible.

Thanks

you sure? I'm 19 and got insured in a 1.6 147 t-spark pretty easily

Chet T16

I'd have this

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/MG/ZS/car/936668/

EDIT: I thought it was a 1.4 ZS105, nevermind!

mildews

lightening wrote: »

Try the Suzuki Cappuccino.

I drove one. What great great fun. Everywhere you go is like driving in a car race without breaking any laws.

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Suzuki/Cappuccino/convertiable/508922/

Is that really a car?????????????:eek::eek::eek:

miju

still a damn nice motor though Chet

Lex Luthor

miju wrote: »

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/156/1.6-T/941436/ looks like a very nice buy at first glance with NCT, full service history and timing belt done IMO (though would still need to be checked)

nice find miju....on the face of it I got a good price for mine then looking the price of this one

miju

Lex Luthor wrote: »

nice find miju....on the face of it I got a good price for mine then looking the price of this one

i think it is too, for a min I had buyers remorse. I got my new (to me couple of weeks ago) 60k on clock and same spec as that link (including service history and TB) for €6,000

have since stuck in red leather seats into it from a broken up 156 and it's sweet IMHO , anyways back on topic

kippy

Everyone is gonna give you a different answer but personally I'd be going for a 1.4 Petrol (Insurance) focus hatchback.
You should be able get a 00 or even a 01 for that money.
Kippy

JHMEG

miju wrote: »

mmmmmm i noticed that apparently in the UKs biggest reliability survery, Alfa come out on top of Fords (even ford focus is beaten by 156 by 2 points)

have a look see http://www.topgear.com/content/carsurvey/2006/features/08/2.html

That survey is mostly subjective. Actual warranty claims etc show real information:

I'm not an Alfa basher but according to this crowd, who use hard facts, and therefore are objective:

http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/

the 156 doesn't come remotely close to even spitting distance of the Focus.

BHW

mthd wrote: »

you sure? I'm 19 and got insured in a 1.6 147 t-spark pretty easily

With what company?

Thanks for replys

mthd

BHW wrote: »

With what company?

Thanks for replys

quinn, 1 year as a named driver, 0 no claims bonus